Bigoli with Duck Ragu from Veneto.
Bigoli with duck ragu is a traditional dish here in Veneto where I live. In fact, if you are visiting the region you are bound to find it on offer in many restaurants. It is also often cooked by the Venetians on holidays or feast days. I have eaten duck ragu many times, but this was my first time cooking it!
I bigoli con l’anatra.
Bigoli is a usually fresh pasta, mostly eaten in Veneto. It‘s made with flour, eggs (often duck eggs), salt, water or milk and sometimes butter. It looks like very thick spaghetti and is about 3-4mm in diameter. Traditionally this pasta was made with a press called a torchio or bigolaro which had to be wound by hand as the pasta dough passed through the holes in the bottom. I have written more about the history of bigoli and the bigolaro in another post.
Traditional bigoli with duck ragu.
Bigoli is most often eaten with various fat-rich sauces, the most well-known bigoli recipe is duck ragu. In the past, the traditional recipe for this ragu involved cooking the pasta in a fatty broth in which a young duck had been boiled. The Venetians then made a sauce with flavored butter and the offal of the duck, which they ate with the bigoli. The duck itself was eaten after.
A bigoli with duck ragu festival!
This duck pasta dish used to be traditionally cooked in September and October during the hunting season. Even today, in the small town of Zane near Vicenza, a ‘bigoli with duck’ festival is held on the first Sunday of October. At the feast, bigoli is first served with duck meat sauce and then the duck is served separately. In keeping with tradition, they also cook the pasta in the duck broth, rather than in water. I’ve never tried it this way but, apparently, this makes the whole dish a lot tastier.
Nowadays many people use ground duck meat to make a sauce very similar to normal meat ragu, but usually without tomatoes. That recipe is, of course, extremely lean and obviously healthier! However, to be honest I feel it’s cheating a bit and doesn’t have the same flavour as other methods of making duck ragu.
Different ways to make the duck ragu!
There are a number of other ways of preparing duck ragu. Some people roast a whole bird, then add the meat to the sauce. Others use only the breast which has been finely chopped and cook it in the sauce. I decided to use duck pieces (2 legs and a breast). A whole quartered duck can be cooked the same way. I browned the duck and then cooked it in the sauce for 2 hours. Once it was ready, I removed the duck, allowed it to cool and then cut the meat into very small pieces. Before returning the meat to the pan, I also skimmed most of the fat from the sauce.
The best duck ragu my hubby has ever eaten!
It turned out to be a long process, although it’s possible to get on with other things whilst the sauce is simmering! However, it was well worth the time spent as it turned out a lot tastier than many of the versions I have eaten made with minced duck or just duck breast. My hubby, who comes from Sicily but has lived in Veneto for more than 30 years, told me it was the best bigoli with duck he’d ever eaten and he’s eaten it many many times! So I’m feeling pretty chuffed right now! Check out this traditional bigoli recipe below and enjoy!
If you make this duck pasta recipe, I’d love to hear how it turns out and if you liked it. Please leave a comment here on the blog or on The Pasta Project Facebook page.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Buon appetito!
Another delicious bigoli recipe you may like is Bigoli with sausage ragu. Click this link to check it out. Recipe Bigoli with luganega sausage
If you like this recipe you may also like Bigoli with farmyard ragu made with duck, guinea fowl and stewing hen!
(This recipe post was first published in 2017, but has been updated)
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Bigoli with Duck Ragu
Ingredients
- 1 duck cut into quarters or duck pieces (I used 2 legs and a breast)
- 2 celery stalks peeled and finely chopped
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 2 carrots finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 cup chicken broth I used 1 stock cube
- 3 tbsp tomato concentrate
- 1 tbsp fresh sage chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary chopped
- 1 fresh bay leaf or 1/2 tsp dried
- 3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 500 g fresh bigoli (1.1 lbs) or thick spaghetti
- Freshly grated parmigiano or grana cheese for serving
- salt for pasta, to season duck and to taste
- black pepper to season duck and to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a heavy-duty pot or deep frying pan.
- Season the duck pieces with salt and pepper and place them skin side down in the pot.
- Sear until the skin is browned and crisp.
- Turn the pieces over and brown the other sides
- Remove the duck and pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat and discard
- Reduce the heat to medium low and add the celery, onion, and carrot.
- Cook, stirring frequently until the vegetables are softened.
- Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute.
- Pour in the wine and increase the heat to high.
- Boil until wine is reduced by 1/2, then reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the broth, tomato concentrate, sage, rosemary and bay leaf, stirring to combine.
- Return the duck to the pot and bring the liquid to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low, just enough to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Cover the pot and simmer until the meat is tender, approx 1.5 to 2 hours. Be careful not to let the duck dry out.
- If the sauce starts to dry out add more white wine or chicken broth.
- Remove the duck from the pot and set aside until cool enough to handle.
- Skim the excess fat from the top of the sauce with a large spoon.
- If the sauce seems thin, continue simmering until thickened to desired consistency.
- Discard the duck skin and cut the meat off the leg bones.
- Shred or cut all the duck meat into very small pieces
- Add the meat to the sauce.
- Let the sauce simmer gently for 10 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaf and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- When ready to serve, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
- Cook the bigoli al dente according to the instructions on the packet if store bought. 6-8 minutes if homemade
- Reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water and then drain the pasta.
- Return the pasta to the pot and toss it with some of the ragù, adding a little of the pasta cooking water if it seems dry.
- Serve the pasta with more ragù spooned over the top, sprinkled with the grated cheese.
Notes
It can also be eaten with other types of long pasta such as tagliatelle, thick spaghetti or bucatini
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Russell Wheeler says
I like the look of this and, yes, some “Cheffy” chefs don’t really understand Italian food and pass on myths without thought. This reminds me a little of papardelle alla lepre which I used to make when I was in the UK and wild hare was relatively easy to find on farmers markets during the shooting season.
Now I am in SW France the chasseurs here tend to keep things like that to themselves and they rarely appear in stores or markets. But there is lots of duck, of course, and so I will shift to this I think once the colder weather rolls in. I rather fancy trying it with confit of duck but still allowing the ragu to cook a long time despite that the duck doesn’t need it. I will also swap a good red wine for white I think and maybe a little tomato pulp. Thanks for the ideas.
Jacqui says
Thanks for your comment Russell! Pappardelle con lepre is on my to recipes to publish list. It’s popular during the hunting season here too! I’m happy to hear you want to try this bigoli with duck recipe. I think red wine works well too. Do let me know what you think once you make it!
Jagruti's Cooking Odyssey says
Never heard of duck ragu before but pasta is my all time comfort food, loving all the spices you have added in this recipe.
Uma Srinivas says
I love the herbs you used here sage and rosemary are my favorite ones. This recipe is new to me but sounds amazing!
Mama Maggie's Kitchen says
My mouth is literally watering. My family would love this.. I can’t wait to bring my family in Veneto!
Alyssa says
I’ve been dreaming of going back to Italy, but while I wait for travel restrictions to ease up, at least I can still eat the food! This dish is heavenly and authentic.
Marta says
I’m always looking for new ways to prepare duck and this ragu looks like a winner! Thanks for another hit recipe!
Candice says
I love anything duck so I had to try this… it’s delicious! Such a simple way to cook the duck for the ragu, too. We all loved it and will be making it again!
Amanda says
This is a wonderful ragu! The duck really makes it feel fancy and worthy of company. It came out perfectly tender and flavorful.
Andrea Howe says
I always feel like I take a mini trip with your recipes and I always learn so much! This duck dish looks AMAZING…going to have to give it a try 🙂
Gourmet Vegetarians says
This looks to die for! Not going to lie, before we became vegetarian duck was our weakness. Duck ragu has got to be one of the tastiest duck dishes out there! The long process is always worth it for a meal like this. Also you are really making us miss authentic Italian food!
Shelley says
Ok – so WOW – if your hubby says this is the best bigoli with duck he’s ever eaten, I feel like that’s REALLY saying something! Since I probably will never have the fun of attending Zane’s bigoli with duck festival (which sounds wonderful!), this is probably the closest I can ever hope to get lol! Normally, I’d be tempted to use the faster shortcut of ground duck, so I’m glad you made the case that it’s really worth it to do it “right” and take the extra time with this recipe – thanks bunches!
Antoinette Bilocca says
Can you tell me how to get the fat off from ducks and chicken dishes I tried with bread slices and didn’t find it so good thank you love your recipes. Antoinette
Jacqui says
Hi Antoinette. Thanks for your comment. I’m happy you like my recipes! Re duck and chicken fat. I agree it can be difficult and depends on what you are making. In general, with sauce or stock, I allow it to cool and then remove the fat that has formed on the surface with a slotted spoon. I once read that once the sauce has cooled a little if you put in some ice-cubes the fat will coagulate around the ice cube and you can lift it out. But, I’ve never tried that!
mimi rippee says
I have never had or made duck ragu. Now I must! thank you for the recipe!
Jason Conde says
Preparing the best pasta can be really difficult at first. It was almost impossible for us to master how to do it without proper step-by-step tutorial from the professional chefs.
I’ve watched hundreds of tutorials online, but nothing beats the simple, clear-to-the-cut video of Gordon Ramsey.
Jacqui says
Dear Jason. I had to remove your link as it wasn’t secure! But Gordon Ramsey does something when he cooks pasta which Italians almost never do!! He adds olive oil to the cooking water! This is not good because the oil coats the pasta and then the pasta doesn’t absorb the sauce!! Italians only do this when cooking dried lasagne sheets (for example) as they tend to stick together and it’s difficult to separate them to make lasagna with them.
Neha says
Now this is absolutely my kind of lunch. I love the combination of spices you ised in the recipe, I can almost taste it.
Jacqui says
Thank you so much Neha! This bigoli with duck is fabulous! I hope you’ll try it!
Timbo says
This one is as good as it gets. Thanks for this absolutely amazing recipe. Loved it
Analida Braeger says
This has my mouth watering , I have never had duck ragu before but now I know I need it !
Jacqui says
Grazie Analida! Yes seriously mouth watering! Duck ragu is really delicious!
Danielle says
Finally a good bigoli with duck recipe. I’ve been searching for it for such a long time! Time to try this recipe – I have all the ingredients that I need for it!
Jacqui says
I’m thrilled you’re going to make this recipe for bigoli with duck Danielle! You won’t be disappointed, I promise you!
Jenni LeBaron says
I’ve never had a duck ragu before, but both the fella and I love duck, love ragu, and love pasta so I’m positive this would be delicious for both of us! I appreciate that you’ve included plenty of herbs too because my garden is finally starting to produce plenty!
Jacqui says
If you love duck and pasta, you’ll love this dish Jenni! Using herbs from your own the garden will add to the flavour!
Rebecca Blackwell says
I’ve never had great luck cooking duck. It often turns out tough and chewy, but I’m thinking I just haven’t had a good recipe. This looks absolutely delicious, so I’m going to give it a shot. I’ll let you know how it goes! Thank you for sharing this recipe as well as all the helpful tips!
Jacqui says
I agree Rebecca, duck can be tricky! But this duck ragu is so good! Looking forward to hearing how yours turned out!